PNG earthquake 2018

A touching account of MAF’s PNG earthquake response

On Wednesday, 28 February, MAF performed a joint-effort medevac for a woman outside Huya Airstrip in a village called Fau.

MAF received the report and Sharlene Coker, who is not only MAF PNG’s operations assistant but is also trained as MAF international global disaster response administrator and operations specialist, worked with Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL) to get coordinates for this village in the hope that one of their translators was familiar with this particular village.

Gr 10 student badly burnt during PNG’s quake

Rachael Max, who is from Mendi, Southern Highlands Province, is being treated with traditional medicine and prayers from the faithfuls with hopes that God will spare her life.

She lives with her sister in Tubage Village in the Lake Kutubu area.

Her sister is married to a man from Tubage.

Senior Constable Bob Kone, a policeman at Moro police station, who is also from Tubage, said the young girl went fishing early that morning and after returning with her catch, decided to cook.

While she was cooking, the earth shook.

PNG earthquake: A lifetime scar

This is no exception for the victims of the 7.5 magnitude earthquake.

PNG’s export revenue affected: PM

Prime Minister Peter O’Neill, after returning from the affected areas late yesterday afternoon, described the situation as a ‘sad day for PNG’.

“It is unfortunate whilst the economy is turning around and the commodity prices around the global markets have improved, which resulted in the increased in the country’s revenue, we are faced with this enormous challenge.

Quake affects BSP operations

In a statement, the Bank said: “Our staff are safe but as with other people in these communities, they have suffered damages to housing and personal items.”

BSP branches at Porgera, Wabag and Mt Hagen also experienced minor damage as a result of the earthquakes but remain open.

BSP sub branches at Tambul, Pangia, Wapenamanda and Ialibu also remain open.

The management and staff are currently assessing the overall destruction to their branches and equipment for appropriate repairs to be carried out, and the reopening of branches affected.

PNG’s Hela focuses on restoration, relief

Governor Philip Undialu said according to information they have received so far, most of the powerlines, roads, health and education infrastructure have all crumbled during the quake.

One of the most seriously affected areas is the LNG site and the facilities, which are currently on a temporary shutdown.

Earthquake split land, island slowly sinking: Local

Inu is a lakeside village along the Lake Kutubu.

Baiyo Baboro, a local there, said the earthquake rattled their area at around 3am on Monday morning, splitting the ground.  The lake water and river Mubi rose up, covering parts of the village.

Also submerged now is the Inu Primary School, Inu Sub-health Centre and the secondary school.

Villagers, students, teachers and other public servants in the area are cut off, stranded on this island.

Baboro said the tremors are still being felt and water is rising.

PNG earthquake casualties unconfirmed

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred at 03:44 am on Monday (26 February) in the Southern Highlands region, about 30km South of Tari and about 40km North-West of Lake Kutubu.

Representatives from provincial governments, including member for Komo-Margarima, Manasseh Makiba, Governor for Gulf Chris Haiveta and National Disaster Office director, Marty Mose, hosted a press conference late yesterday afternoon in Port Moresby.